


Wondering Star

by Mystic_Mystic



Series: Voltron College AU [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Author!Keith, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), College AU, F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Gay Keith (Voltron), Hacker!Pidge, Langst, Librarian!Keith, M/M, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Pansexual Pidge, They all live in the same apartment complex, chef!hunk, klance, klangst, lol Lance works at a coffee shop, pianist!Lance, space dad being supportive af
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-10-12 19:32:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10498014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystic_Mystic/pseuds/Mystic_Mystic
Summary: Lance is finally free to explore his dreams as he steps onto the college campus for the first time. He’s free but not alone. Right? His friends will always be with him; they’re all living in the same apartment complex after all.





	1. On His Own

**Author's Note:**

> I wanna first thank my Beta Reader, Ana, bc she's amazing and idk what I would be doing without her. Her AO3 is @shatterinseconds and she has some really great Voltron fics there as well as some SNK ones, so defiantly go check her out.  
> Second thank you all for reading and please subscribe for updates  
> Also this is the first fic in my new Voltron College AU series, so get ready for that (The next one may or may not be centered around Pidge and she may or may not be getting a girlfriend. Who knows? Not me.)

He was finally free and on his own. Lance walked up the rough cement steps and through the door of the large, brick building, carrying the last of the boxes into his new apartment. After trudging up a flight of stairs, he pushed into the already propped open door and stepped into the open space of his new home. Hunk and Shiro were already inside. 

“That the last one?” Hunk asked as Lance set down the heavy box at his feet.

“Sure is; I’m finally moved in!” 

“We still need to unpack all this stuff, Lance,” Shiro said, leaning on the clean, off-white wall across from Lance.

“No problem, fellas. I got this.”  

“Okay, but we’re having dinner at my place at like six. I’m making green enchiladas casserole.”  

“Holy shit, man, I love that! You know I’ll be there,” Lance said, grinning. 

“Alright, we’ll leave you to it then. You know our apartment numbers. See you later!” Shiro patted Lance on the shoulder and left with Hunk, closing the door on his way out. 

Lance beamed, his hands on his hips while looking around his new apartment. He couldn’t help but  feel proud of himself. He was finally out on his own and ready to take on the world. He felt optimistic and bubbly about how lucky he was to find an apartment in the same complex as the rest of his friends, not to mention the low rent. He looked at the clock over his stove. It was 12:48 P.M. He had about five hours left till dinner.

“Well,” Lance spoke aloud to the empty apartment, “I better get started.” 

He opened the box at his feet. Books. Lance pushed the box to the wooden bookshelf Hunk had just finished setting up in the corner moments ago. He picked up the first book on top of the pile. It was  _ The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark _ .  

The Lance smiled fondly, recalling how he’d gotten into Shakespeare in the first place. 

 

During Lance’s freshman year in high school, he had started using Shakespeare-inspired pick-up lines to impress and flirt with girls. One day, this emo kid in his literature class had overheard him asking a hot girl after class if she wanted to “be his Juliet.” The guy had snarkily told Lance he should actually read the play before he said things like that. He mentioned Juliet’s suicide at the end. After his little speech, the raven-haired guy had walked past Lance, leaving a used copy of  _ The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet _ on his desk. “I want it back after you’re done,” he had muttered over his shoulder. 

Though Lance was a little upset that this mullet-head had messed up his mojo, he gave it a shot. He finished it in three days since he was a little busier than usual that week. Afterwards, Lance felt disgusted with himself and cringed at all the terrible pick-up lines he had said. He thought it was messed up to ask a girl to be his Juliet. Even though it made a little bit of sense because he had just met her and all.  

Lance ended up really liking the play, but he couldn’t understand why people thought it was the most romantic thing ever. _ Probably because they never actually read it, _ Lance thought.  _ Like… I did… oh.  _

The next day after class, he had approached the edgy kids desk and returned the book. 

“Thank you. I didn’t realize what a mistake I was making. I’m kinda really pissed at myself for doing that now,” Lance had said regretfully.

“No problem, dude. As long as you don’t do it again. But what did you think?” 

“I’m so salty, oh my God, these stupid kids! Not to mention that Juliet’s like thirteen, and Romeo’s like seventeen? That’s illegal nowadays! And for good reasons!” Lance exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. The mullet guy laughed. Though Lance wouldn’t have admitted it at the time, he found it incredibly cute.   

“I’m glad you liked it,” he’d said. 

“Hey, what’s your name? I know you’re in, like, two or three of my classes.” 

“Keith,” the edgy kid had spoken, sticking his hand out to shake Lance’s. 

“I’m Lance,” he’d said, shaking Keith’s partially gloved hand. 

 

Lance placed the book onto the first shelf, smiling to himself, and decided to dedicate that shelf to all his Shakespeare books. He unpacked and organized the rest of his books and started looking for the box that contained all his bedding, which should have been one of the first things he unpacked. He really should have labeled all these boxes.  


	2. Warm Embraces

 

“205, 205,” Lance muttered to himself, trying to find Hunk’s apartment. He knew it was in the same hallway, but he still had never been there before. “There it is!”

He rang the doorbell and was almost instantly greeted by Pidge. “Lance!” she yelled and pulled the boy’s midsection into a bear hug, crushing a few of Lance’s ribs in the process.  

“How are you so strong?” Lance wheezed, trying to regain his breath. “You’re like five feet tall and a twig, no less!”

“Hey!” Pidge complained. “I’m not that short! Ugh, anyways, come in! Hunk’s in the kitchen.”

Pidge lead him into the living room, where Shiro, Allura, and Keith were already waiting.

Hunk’s apartment was super warm and cozy, so he felt welcomed just by stepping in. Also, he could smell the surely delicious food being cooked, and it faintly reminded him of his mother’s cooking.

Lance grinned. He spotted Keith leaning on the wall next to everyone else, aside from Hunk. He hadn’t seen Keith in over a month and was understandably thrilled to see him now. Keith walked over to the couch, grinning.  

“Lance,” Keith breathed, smiling, pulling him into a hug. Lance’s heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but feel giddy. The hug was warm and inviting. He had really missed Keith.  

“Sorry that I couldn’t see you when you got here. I just got out of a meeting with my publisher.”

“No sweat, dude. I understand.”

“Hey, I want a hug too, y’know,” Allura interjected, arms crossed and frowning.

Keith broke away, giving her a chance to greet Lance as well. Allura’s face broke into a wide smile as she gave Lance’s waist a squeeze.  

“It’s been forever, Lance!”  

“Allura, I went to breakfast with you and Shiro, like, last _week_ ,” he responded between laughs.

“That’s still way too long!” Allura complained.

Lance sat on the worn leather couch with her and Keith, who was squished between the two.

“Food’s ready!” Hunk yelled from the small apartment kitchen.

“Fuck yeah! I'm starving!” Pidge leapt off the couch and dashed into the kitchen.

“Pidge! Language!” Shiro yelled after the small menace.

“Shiro, I’m sixteen already and starting college two years early! When are you going to stop babying me?”

“When I die,” Shiro said with a straight face, looking all too serious.

“Jesus Christ,” Pidge muttered, barely loud enough for them to hear.

 

* * *

 

 

“Oh my god, I’m so stressed with preparing for classes.” Allura plopped her head in her hands with a pained  groan.

“Hey, it’s harder for the students.” Lance raised a brow, pointing his fork at the soon-to-be professor.

“No way,” she challenged, her eyes daggers.

"Yes way," he argued straight back.

The rest groaned at another one of Lance and Allura's fights. Yes, of course they all loved each other, but every once in awhile, Allura and Lance would disagree with each other and have a "friendly" argument. Pidge rolled her eyes.

Last time, they didn't talk to each other for days when Allura insisted cats were the supreme animal.

"Okay! Dig in guys!" Hunk said, frantically trying to avoid World War III.

"Hold on," Allura said, "I want to hear what Lance has to say. And more importantly why exactly he thinks _students_ have it harder than teachers, especially since Lance himself has never been a teacher."

"Well, Allura, my older brother Marco is currently a high school English teacher, and since _I_ have to hear about his complaining every time he's home, I would say, yes, I’ve never been a teacher, but I _do_ know what it's like."

"Come on guys, we're supposed to be celebrating here, not fighting!" Hunk said, the voice of reason, as always.

Lance scoffed. “Fine.”

They sat around the wooden table and dug in. The enchiladas were fucking amazing. Lance could swear on his grave that Hunk used magic because he managed to make them taste exactly like his mom’s. Possibly better than his mom’s. Of course, as much as he loved Hunk, Lance would never say that out loud, in fear of what his mother would do if she ever heard.

“So, uh, Shiro, speaking of teaching. You’re Allura’s TA right?”

Shiro visibly tensed, then groaned through a mouthful of green enchiladas.

They laughed. Pidge patted Shiro’s back and nodded, recalling the discussion he and Matt had had earlier.

“Allura’s making me do at least one lesson per week for every class, so I have to prepare for those.” He sighed tiredly.

“Please, I have to do the rest of the lessons, _and_ I’m helping you. What on _Earth_ are you complaining about?” Allura shot back, smiling.

“Okay, okay, but you seriously need to chill with the lesson planning.”

“I’ve been up these last few weeks making sure my lesson plans are perfect and that the first week will be a complete success.”

“Allura, Honey, it’s gonna be fine. Don’t you remember what it was like when we were in college? One of our professors let us rap battle for extra credit and made everything up on the fly. That was like one of our best classes.”

Keith, who was placed across from Lance, chuckled at that. Lance grinned.

“What’s got you so happy?” Hunk shouldered him.

“Uh, just, you know, I’m excited that's all.”

“Really now? Excited about what exactly? Living on your own? Or living right next to Keith?” Hunk grinned playfully, whispering the last part.

“Holy shit, dude. You can’t just say that kind of stuff out loud!” He shot a quick glare at Hunk, his cheeks dusting red.

“Either way, you’re avoiding the question here.” The chef smirked.

“I’ll text you later,” Lance whispered harshly.

Hunk, satisfied, left him alone after that.

“So, Pidge,” Shiro swallowed another piece of cheesy enchilada, “Where’s Matt?”

“Oh, yeah, he said he’s sorry he couldn’t make it; he’s working late tonight. Oh, and he wants you to save him some food.”

“Awww, Shiro missing his lil’ boyfriend?”

“Of course I do, he’s my soulmate, but I don’t think there’s gonna be much food left with the way Lance is going at it.” He smirked triumphantly.

“And here I thought _I_ was the one dating Shiro.” Allura laughed.

“Hey, look, we’re all poor college students here; just let me enjoy this art of a dish without being criticised, please.”

Shiro chuckled at that, “Yeah, yeah. Just leave some for Matt. Last time, he missed Hunk’s cooking, he almost cried.”

“Yeah, and save some room for dessert,” Hunk commented.

At that, several people coughed, contemplating whether or not they should stop shoving food into their mouths.

“I made cheesecake flan.” Hunk grinned.

“Oh my god. Hunk, you’re an angel. Did you make this just for me?”

“Yes, I’ve been told.” He rolled his eyes with a soft smile.

Of course he’d made it especially for Lance. It was his favorite, and they were celebrating him moving in, after all. That was just the kind of amazing friend Hunk was.

 

* * *

 

 

The pair stepped out into the crisp autumn air, illuminated by moonlight. Lance shut the door of Hunk’s apartment behind him and started a steady pace alongside Keith to their apartments. It only made sense that they leave together since they did live right next to one another.

“So, uh, how did the meeting with your editor go?” Lance poked at the topic, feeling Keith was all too quiet about it during dinner.

“Oh. Umm, pretty good actually. I finished the first draft of my new book.”

“Really?” Lance’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow. Didn’t it take you, like a year, to finish your first draft of _The Other Side_? And this one only took you, what? Five months?”

“Well, this one’s a little shorter so far, and I guess I’ve been feeling a little more inspired lately?” Keith responded a bit defensively.

“That’s good.”

The boys walked up the cement steps together.

“Oh, boy.” Lance rubbed his neck anxiously. “My first night completely alone.”

“Pfft. I’m right next door, so calm down.”

“I know, I know. But still. It’s my first night in my first apartment. Like, what if there are ghosts or something?”

At that, Keith snorted. “Oh, please, like you believe in ghosts. Besides, Pidge already checked all our apartments and deemed them clean. Nothing there but dust.”

“Oh, uh yeah, right,” the taller boy said, clearly a bit more relieved at this information.

Reaching the top of the stairs they separated. Keith pulled out his keys. He looked over at Lance, who was still staring at his door, making no attempt to unlock it.

“Are you, uh, gonna go inside by any chance?” the raven haired boy asked.

“Yeah, of course. Just kinda’ preparing myself.” He took a deep breath, trying not to look too scared.

Keith unlocked his door, seeing Lance now with his keys in hand, but he was still staring at the lumpy paint on the exterior of the door.

“Here.” He took the keys right out of Lance’s hand and unlocked the door for him. The gesture startled both Lance and Keith.

The Cuban boy smiled sheepishly. “Thanks,” he breathed. “And uh... Good luck with your book, Keef.”

“No problem, and thanks,” he responded, smiling fondly at the old nickname. “Good night. See ya’ tomorrow.”

“G’night. See ya, ol’ buddy, ol’ pal,” Lance said before shutting his door.

He could hear Keith shutting his own on the other side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaa im so sorry this took so long! But fear not chapter 3 should be out a lot sooner!
> 
> Follow my Tumblr https://mystic-mystic.tumblr.com/   
> Feel free to message me whenever!


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